Tag Archives: Technology

Technology, Blogging, and Unwavering Faith

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Welcome back to another episode of my little world on this corner of the internet. It’s been a hot minute! And we have celebrated another blog-a-versary!! Do you realize we’ve been doing this for eight! count them eight! long years? That’s that obnoxious age where kids start to smell funny but don’t have real jobs yet with responsibilities and life is just stupid potty jokes. Am I super famous? No. Have I ever gone viral? No. Do I have a tonne of followers? No. And l’m inclined to say that I never will. Why? More than likely because not too many people know about us (besides the friends I casually mention I wrote a blog — thanks friends ;)) and not too many people really wanna hear about our escapades on Itsnotta Farm — and they especially don’t wanna hear about my Christian world view. Well… they might if I debated or dabbled in political hot spots or great controversies or flaming topics. But I don’t.

Oh, we touch on the occasional hot spot or news flash. I celebrate a few events (yeah family day weekend!) We do a few specials and host a few contests, but mostly, I just self journal, and you all get to share in it. And that’s okay. I think about when I first started mittonmusings.com. I did it to learn about coding, websites, internet and a bit of tech. That didn’t work much… this week I had to ask how to update my phone. I blame it on too many photos of chickens and grand baby. Which means it’s not my fault, right?

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

….and this is where my entire finished post just vanished when I went to upload and publish it! Grrr. See? Technology sucks. Now, do I remember what I wrote about? It won’t be as good as when it first came out… but here it is. Again. Writers, this happens, right?

Where was I? I fear. I fear for my kids and my grand kids who will have to live in a world where reality is blurred. Where A.I. has made real what is not, and what is not is made real. Where gender and traditional roles and food and money is no longer real. And the fear comes because this will be “normal” for them. I fear for my older family members who know this is not normal, but have to deal with it anyway, because that’s the way society is going. And we are being swept along.

Do you remember the days where we balanced our cheque BOOKS with a real pen and paper? Now I am beginning to think that A.I. could handle that too (for $19.95 a month mind you). I think I should start stashing $20 bucks under my mattress for a rainy day. It may get me to where I need to be faster. Or maybe not. Cash is going out the window too… but gold bars are too heavy to store under my mattress.

Even the church will be blurred. There will be no separation of church and state. Our world views will become intolerant and silenced. No, I don’t dabble in the political, because I don’t like it. There’s too much, well, there’s too much politics. Yet, I have said it here many times, God’s got this.

If we believe our faith to be true; and I believe it is; then I believe that our never failing God has a plan, and He knows where all this will end up. He knows the direction we are headed, and He’ll be there at the end of it. Me? I am learning to be gracious in this fast paced world (aka my #wordoftheyear) which means I have to slow down every now and then and smile at someone, or take the time to listen. I don’t think A.I. has really got a hold of that yet. People still count for something.

And the God who is faithful from the beginning is still in charge. He is the same, yesterday, today and forever. Talking donkeys, talking robots. It’s funny, when I started this post, I was looking for a prompt or a verse to get me started… and then the words just flow out… and then the words had to change and adapt and get written again because I lost it all. Which frustrated me, but reminds me again that technology dictates a lot. Still, my words are my own, and although it may never be famous, I think mittonmusings.com gets written because God uses it to touch someone, somewhere, somehow. Even the second time ’round. So, if that’s you, please drop me line and let me know to encourage my soul….

(and ease my pain at technology)

Technical Difficulties

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Well my friends, this post is going to be late. Apologies to those who read early on Tuesdays, but it just is what it is. I wanna say that I had “technical difficulties” and there was trouble uploading or downloading or syncing or something. Truth is, I’m just lazy and never got around to posting until now. But for the sake of saving my blogging status, let’s just say that there were technical difficulties, okay?

It’s what I’ve been musing about a little this week. That weird and wonderful subject again: technology. It’s a topic I chat about now and then, not because I am a big fan, nor am I techno-savvy or in anyway an expert, but because I am just the opposite. Self taught and struggling through. Our world is so automated now. Especially in this 2020 pandemic: Zoom chats, iphone messages, and let’s just take a moment to ponder how many students are now being educated via a screen! Bless your hearts, educators who have stepped up and had to put yourself out there “online” for all to see. If you saw my “unboxing” in last week’s post, you’ll note that technology (especially videos) are really not my thing. Leave me a printed note and this girl’s a happy clam. But, I digress.

The Mitton crew had a moment last week where we did have some technical difficulties, however. Minor, for sure, but our computer “upgraded” and suddenly we were locked out of our usual password. After numerous tries (why do we always check? It’s like pressing the elevator button over and over — it doesn’t make it work faster but we are convinced it does) we finally ended up changing the password and moving on. I’m positive ya’ll have experienced this in one form or another. Or you need to access an account you rarely visit and have forgotten the password? Or they make you change it — oh, and not to one you have used in the past, oh no, it must be new, with 8 letters and a symbol, but not an uppercase letter, nor your mother’s maiden name but contain the number 3 and be linked to your first pet… you get the picture.

I know, I know, Computer systems are there to help. Just think of all the advances we have made since the internet! Efficiency is the goal. Fast speeds and 5G’s. And it’s not the computer program’s fault if something glitches, it’s the user’s error, right? I’m learning a new system at work, and am struggling to remember the “steps” to get to certain screens. I know the information I want is there and available — but how do I access it? You hear me, right? I’m not alone here, right? All these thoughts have been swimming in my head this week and I’ve been trying to make connections (literally!). Are computer systems like our spiritual walk? We serve a perfect God who has all sorts of information available to us if we only knew how to take the correct steps. We are fallible humans who fall one too many times into the category of “user error”. We get “locked out” of blessings and joys because we haven’t linked in recently to the program and God’s plan for us.

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Perhaps you’re debating the pros and cons of physical, real life connections versus “online”. Does God still work via the internet? I hope so, or this blog is not worth my time. Are you and your church leaders struggling to serve your communities “from a distance”? Should you open up the building or continue on YouTube? Are you a parent trying to plan for a safe return to school, but still being supportive of your teachers and your child’s friends? I want things to be different. I want things to be “real” and not the polished Instagram version of faith. I want to have truth and not algorithm based “likes”. Yet, maybe I am wrong. Maybe I’m limiting God too much. Surely He works above and beyond the confines of the internet. Of course the one who created the universe is not limited by digital glitches and binary systems. My faith is small. For Christ does not have “technical difficulties”. May you and I both be encouraged by that thought this week.

An Update from Us

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By now, many of you have received numerous emails and notifications from your school board, local grocery store, coffee shop, government official and maybe even church body, about what they are doing to ensure the safety and wellbeing of you and your community during this COVID-19 Crisis. We bloggers have the unique advantage that our community is always online. But, we are community nonetheless. In my short time blogging, I have come to know many of you as “friends” as well as followers. I have been encouraged by your comments and shares and likes. True, we are socially distant, but we are certainly not isolated. Technology has allowed us the benefit of meeting together each week, sharing and growing as a community. We’ve never had to stop learning because of our distances apart.

Photo credit:Katemangostar

And so, this is my message to you, during these unprecedented times, on behalf of mittonmusing.com. Obviously, I don’t have to reduce my hours or close my doors during this time, and I’m not losing revenue because this is not that kind of blog. What I am doing, is reaching out to encourage you in these weird and uncertain days, to assure you that even across the internet, people care! My feeds are flooded with posts about small businesses and live feeds and Bible verses — we are doing our part to share and uplift, especially in these tough times.

Please know that I am thinking about you… my community all over the world. In your dark places, and in times of fear, as well as the times where you’ve done your part and been a light to someone else’s world. As you go into this next week, I hope you’ll stay tuned in to mittonmusings. Our last (-ish) colouring party post will come out on Tuesday, and we’ve got tricks and tips up our sleeves to help you pass some time during your “self isolation”. Maybe you are an introvert like me and are doing great all alone at home — encourage others with some of our Blessings… or try one of our book reviews. We’ve mused about lots of things over the years, and maybe this blog was made for just such a time as this.

Keep watching our socials for updates and news!

Oh! I almost forgot! An update on our “I Still Believe” movie… our winner was chosen (congratulations!) but the virus has closed down the cinemas for now… However… the internet strikes again!! Starting March 25th, they will be releasing “I Still Believe” on demand — which means our whole community will be able to view this great movie! Apple TV, Amazon and YouTube etc. will be streaming it for a short period of time… so stay tuned or watch for it on your favourite outlet! If there has ever been a time for a hope and faith filled family movie — it’s now when you’re stuck at home with all the kids!

Stay safe. Wash your hands. Know that God is in control and He loves you. Be at peace, share joy, and thanks for following the adventure, as part of my community!